I love cameras, anyone who knows me knows I have more cameras than one person could ever have a use for!

There is no need for me to buy the new 550D/ T2i. I have a 7D and two 5DmkIIs after all, I even have a 500d! So why would i buy one? I simply wanted to see just how capable it was as a video camera. I don’t care too much about it’s still camera abilities, apart from for timelapse, but it’s identical video frame rates to the 7D and that price tag meant could become a very popular camera in the mass market. I wanted to get one so I could review it, test it, be able to answer people’s questions about it which I am bound to get and of course shoot on it. After all I love shooting more than anything and this is a small, light, cheap camera. Just how good can it be?

The Eos Video line up thanks to Dan Chung

I bought mine from B&H as soon as I saw it was available and in stock. Next day delivery and she arrived. I had to buy it with the stock lens as that’s all they had. Not a good lens. I recommend body only for sure! Just because the camera is cheap it doesn’t mean you should buy cheap glass for it! Anyone want that lens?!

First Impressions: Wow it’s light! Really light. The 7D and 5DmkII weigh a bit, this doesn’t. Straight off I notice some things missing that I love about my pro cameras, the T2i is part of the consumer division whereas the 7D etc are part of the pro division. So what does this mean to you and I?

Build quality is good on the T2i but not in the same league as the Pro cameras. First off weatherproofing. I wouldn’t want to get the T2i wet like my 7d does all the time, even the 5DmkII with lesser weatherproofing is still very very good at it. Have left both cameras out in the cold rain all night, have had them frost over and they work just fine afterwards. I wouldn’t do this with the T2i. Like a Mogwai, don’t get her wet. Also it’s very plasticky, as expected. I have dropped my pro cameras once or twice…oops. They survived fine. T2i…keep secure. Treat her gently!

Due to the smaller size we are missing some things I really miss on pro cameras. The dial on the back of the camera, the LCD panel telling me my metering, fstop etc on top. You get this info on the screen by half pressing the shutter button but I like having the LCD screen and miss it. The dial especially is a pain. I now have no individual iris and shutter controls. I have to effectively press a “shift button” to get aperture to change.

Image wise from my very limited tests the video looks as close to identical as I can tell with 30 minutes of filming. There may be a stronger difference and I am sure many people will do loads of side by side tests of this camera. I will over the next few weeks shoot more and more stuff with it and share my experiences. Last night I did some simple low light tests. Same shot at ISO 800 and 1600 on both cameras lit with candlelight. That brings me to another couple of things I am missing on the T2i. Manual white balance. You cannot dial in the colour temperature like you can on the 7D etc. Also ISO are limited to 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 and the unusable higher ones. In tests recently I found the quieter ISO on the 5DmkII to be 160, 320, 640 etc…I haven’t done any tests like this on the T2i, but hopefully will get a chance soon.

The skater dolly I used in the tests was the Omni tracker slim line pro. It’s great and cheap. I also have the new Humble Monkey Camera truck. Both of which I will review fully soon. The Humble monkey costs more but is lighter…as I said review coming soon!

Humble Monkey Camera Truck

Omni Tracker slim line pro

Frame rates are what we want 24p, 25p, 30p, 720p 50p, 60p. There is no manual control on audio unfortunately. Same crappy AGC we have on the 7D that looks like will be fixed on the new 5DmkII firmware.

Timelapse is of course easily done on this, just get the right controller (7D one does not work on this camera). Below is the one to get.

There were a number of people saying should I sell my 7D and buy a T2i and use the extra money to buy glass. I would say no. Simply because the 7D is a robust beast that will take a lot you throw at it. It’s a pro camera with pro build. Yes, the video is bloody close to each other and I can barely tell them apart but it comes down to more than just video quality. It’s the whole package.

So what do I think about the T2i then? I think it’s superb. For $800 (Sorry people in England, I know pricing sucks there) you are getting a video tool that really is incredible. A great B camera for 7D and 5dmkII owners and I really do recommend having two bodies on pro shoots. It’s also a great A camera for people wanted to get into HD-DSLR filming, students, keen enthusiasts or people with an addiction to buying cameras like me! From what I have seen the video is excellent, the screen is slightly bigger and higher resolution that the 7D one but a Z-Finder still fits. Time will tell how well these two cameras will compare. For now just be happy that we live in incredibly exciting times and don’t whinge that it has more video modes than the 5DmkII or you just bought a 7D and this has come out etc…Canon have brought out a camera that blitzes the competition in the consumer market for HD video and beats all the other brands out there in the pro market with video too. This is a game changer for many. It’s just this damn game changes very often and it’s hard to keep up!

Do check out Nino’s review linked up top and also look at JJ Kim’s excellent comparison video below.

I played with one today, and am very disapointed.
Way way way too light, Added a 35mm 1.4 and L series and my wrist would wobble forward. The menu is very annoying and has to be pre-planned, not too good for run and gun.

The images are beautiful dont get me wrong, and I know its a consumer camera and should be used as one, so I would not even try it for legit work… I would’nt take the risk. it feels too cheap and plasticky, even a good squeeze makes the plastic squeek. Vacation and around the home; at parties camera yes, Wedding or other venue gear… No!

I couldn’t disagree with you more. It might be consumer level but its certainly up to the challenge of shooting things like weddings etc. The build quality is not as good as the 7D but you make it sound paper thin, I think your over exaggerating slightly there. I have shot music video’s on this, One of which was featured on Sky’s alternative music channel “scuzz”. The results were great and the video was received extremely well. A friend of mine also shoots with one and uses it as his main camera. He was recently invited to London where his music video was show cased in front of some top guys Who have worked on many great british films such as Hot Fuzz and This is England. They were all very impressed with his work and invited him to dinner after where he made some great contacts. My point here is, its not just about the camera, a good camera does not make you a pro. The canon 550D is an amazing camera for its price, and more!

the image out of it is the same pretty much as the 7D, 60D so of course it is capable of great images if the right talent is behind it. Problem is you are replying to a comment made well over a year ago Rob and to be honest if you can the 60D is a much better proposition as it is really is far more robust. Image is the same. But it will last you longer and doesn’t overheat as much!

Thanks for the reply Philip. I didn’t realize how old the post was when I replied!

I have yet to experience this overheating problem. Is it something that occurs during long shoots? As I mentioned, I have used the camera to shoot a few music videos, and even braved a wedding with one!

I am worried though as I am heading off to the Cayman Islands to start up my own small production company, will be using DSLR’s the heat there as you can imagine is slightly different to the UK! Im wondering if it would be wise to rely on DSLR’s only?

Relying on DSLR’s in hot climates is fine. You will run into overheating issues when using for extended periods of time. Good ways to avoid overheating is by using ice packs and changing the batteries routinely if you are able to.

this is great..
but just make me hate canon and fell like a donkey for buying a t1i a couple of months ago, and now see all this capabilities on such a similar piece of hardware.
they cant even release a firmware with manual controls.. without mentioning frame rates..
i feel really bad.
i know i bought my t1i knowing its features and specs.. but i could never imagine this move from canon.

well.. im confused..
would anyone here be happy, if canon suddenly squeeze both 5D markII firmwares into a 5D markIII body?
i know 550D got many new hardware features, but the most significants, for most here, are manual controls and frame rates, of course.
B&H shipment + taxes cost extras US$650,00 to get the camera around here.. and im pretty sure thats the best price we can get here.
nice

I would love to have a 7D or 5D mark II – but it is not happening anytime soon…. Will have to save money for a year or so to afford one of those bodies (but at that time a 5D mark III might be availlible :P).

Would love to upgrade from my 50D just to do video… In time hopefully.

I know this may sound silly, but are you really offering to give away the kit lens?

I am thinking about jumping into the HDSLR world with the T2i, and as a newcomer, I don’t have any other lenses, and I am fairly broke. It would save me a small amount of money to be able to buy just the body and not the kit.

So, I would actually love to take that lens off your hands until I can afford better glass

Thanks Philip……people have been waiting almost daily for these first thoughts. I think your review will help a lot of 7d and 5d Mark II owners down from the ledge due to the price difference. For some of us just wanting to get in the game and give it a good shot, saving around $1000 for basically the same quality of filming as a 7d seems like the obvious choice. But if you’re a serious experienced professional, or money’s not that big a deal, your decision may well be just the opposite. Both sides would be correct…..I’m curious what these developments do the camcorder market? It reminds me when PCs first came out, no matter what you buy, a few weeks later something would come out better and cheaper.

I’ve had my T2i a little more than 24hrs and so far I love it! I was pleasantly surprised how nice the camera build is, I was worried it would feel too plastic-y. This is not the case. The T2i is solid for shooting video, this camera is an absolute game changer!

I would be interested in the same thing. I haven’t filmed with DSLR cameras before but I want to get into it since right now I only have a HV30. I know, at least I think Philip you used the HV20? How would you compare it to the T2i? And just like Lenny asked, how convenient is the shutter/iris problem? Would it still allow me to film quite nice videos without causing problems during shooting, or will there be things that will bottleneck my shooting capabilities with the 550D? Thanks Philip.

Thanks for the great info. Looking forward to seeing more results with the camera. I just bought a 5DmkII and as it looks as though the firmware update wont be adding 50/60p i may consider one of these as a B cam. Shame I am in the UK too and have to put up with our prices. In your experience are their any disadvantages to buying the camera in the states if you live in the UK? I may have the chance to pick one up there later this year.

I have been watching and reading a lot of reviews of this having owned a T1i (sold and preordered T2i) and previously an XSi. The one thing I keep hearing over and over is “It’s too light” “not heavy enough” etc.. JJ Kim said it, you said it, and people in this review said it. I haven’t held one yet, but having had two other Rebels I can’t imagine this could be *that* different than the T1i and XSi in weight and ergonomics. Is it just that there are a lot of still photogs with non-video cams or pro-videogs just getting this as a DSLR with video for the first time or what? Even though this has some capabilities of the 7D, lets face it, its a consumer level Rebel still, that plastic body and no weather seals are the reason its 800 bucks. I am REALLY looking forward to this cam. But you get what you pay for people! If its too small, too light or too plasticy, then just stick with your 7D.

I really don’t get the whole deal with people saying “Its too light” “Its too plasticky” “its not the build quality of a 7D” etc… Its a consumer camera! Yes it has very similar specs to the 7D, but its still a consumer camera in the Rebel line. You get what you pay for. The plastic body and build is the reason it is 800 bucks. Given some comments here, on forums, and even in the review section of the camera on http://www.usa.canon.com, it seems like people thought this was going to be just like the 7D at half the price or something. I don’t understand all the professional people wanting to buy this and then knock it when its not just like a 7D. If you need a weathersealed full magnesium body camera, then spend the money and buy one.

wowsa! 550D really rocks. Im torn between buying 7D and 550D. Id buy it for its video/movie capabilities and would love to have it as one of my professional tools. Im a motion designer and would love to engage in filmmaking.

I find that the T2i would be much less steady by it self for handheld work mainly because of weight. Also for people who dont color correct which would be the majority. The white balance thing would be a problem. Otherwise great images possible for everyone. Love having 60p on a camera like this.

On your 7D DVD you advise certain camera settings (reducing the sharpness and contrast to 0, etc.) before you even begin shooting video. I know you have not have the time to really experiment, but, for now, do you anticipate that your advice for the initial settings for the 7D should hold true for the T2i, generally speaking?

I love my 7d, but if this camera had been released when I was buying my 7d it would have put me in two minds.

If you look in the right places in the UK you can find the 550D body only for ~£600-700, so more/less the same as the US price. For the video capability alone, I have to agree with you this time Philip – that is cheap! :o)

I feel like that depends on a lot of things Phil. I don’t think that’s a question you can just straight answer. For a lot of people the recording time limit, the poor ergonomics, the price (the gh1 being cheaper body only and having an amazing kit lens for the price) are factors to go with the GH1 instead…it all depends on who you are and what you’re doing. If you’re buying the 550d to save money that means you probably won’t be buying the Z-Finder, a ton of additional glass, etc, for it.

I used to have a 40D and on that to stop flickering I read that you could disconnect the lens contacts slightly to stop it, and it definitely worked on that – is this still the solution with the newer cams?

I’m in LA (Pasadena, work in Santa Monica) and just bought a body-only T2i for noodling around with video. I’ve currently got an ancient Nikkor 55mm adapted onto it, and that’s great, but I think I’m missing out a lot of fun general shooting by skipping the kit lens. Want to sell it to me for the difference between the kit and body prices?

I would be interested in this camera for stills and video.
Would you say that the stock lens or the 18-135mm lens would be good as a general purpose lens for still photography.
I could then purchase a 50mm f1.4 and others over time.
My video use will be hobbyist and something I will build on over time.

Hey, in reply to this your better going for a good 35mm or 28mm in my opinion cause then you get the equivalent angle of view. The 50mm 1.4 is not a 50mm on a canon 7d (cause its not a full size sensor). The tamron 17-50 2.8 is a real great lens and in somne places, you can get the non vc version for the same price as the kitlens. Bargain! =]

Phillip, food for thought for your readers. I have been doing some sums (all with UK prices) and the difference between 550d and 7d is in fact £421 ish.
Why, I hear you say…… well the kit lens you would get with the 550d is next to useless so you would have to buy a better lens. Some say that the kit lens on the 7d is not great so I looked at the 15-85mm lens. 550D + 15-85mm lens@£624=£1328. 7D + 15-85mm £1749…..difference of £421.
(all amazon prices)

Had a play with the 550d today and it is a great camera but not a 7d killer that is for sure. For me it’s the 7d.

So the question is is the the 7D worth £421 extra TO YOU…. it is to me.

Can’t wait to see more in the coming days. Good thing you were in the USA when it became available at B&H. Gotta love overnight shipping!

One question: are the frame rates -just- like on the 7D, meaning 29.97, 24.967, etc? I saw a chart on Planet5D that had them as straight 30p, 24p, etc. like exact 30p on the 5D, whereas on the same chart the 7D rates were listed as 29.97, etc.

T2i?
Even though I still can’t help feeling totally screwed on the video functionality the T1i was hobbled with, I ordered the T2i the day it was announced:
– It was a hard, frustrating decision to even stay with Canon after the T1i, but I have the lens investment there. Adapters are a pain.
– After 100’s of hours of trying to get the d*mn T1i to work for video, it did teach me TONS of valuable skills and tricks that will now rock on my T2i.

Great news is, after just one day with the T2i, almost a year after my T1i disfunctional relationship started, I’m now finally smiling ear to ear with my T2i. Sometimes a bad camera was an amazing teacher, as you had to work so hard to get a decent result. With the T2i, I finally feel like I have skills.

Rebel dependability?
I have really loved my super cheap T1i camera for photos, and the little kid has been my abused, throw in the bag, carry around the world several times lover on all my business trips for nearly a year. Mr super light “plastic fantastic” for photos has been absolutely reliable with no issues. But I admit, I never left it out over night in the snow…

T1i now?
After my first night date with the T2i, I can’t help but now think of what price I should EBay my little old “psycho girlfriend”, plastic fantastic, T1i for now, with it’s still screwed up video functionality: What is a crazy, unpredictable, DSLR T1i video camera with a $100 funky kit lens really worth now? $200? $300?

These shots are really helpful, just the sort of conditions you’ll want to shoot under in low light. And the noise is proper DSLR type noise not the horrible blocky compression artifacts I get with my HF10, that’s simply unacceptable. I’m convinced that, for corporate web video at least, 2-3 550Ds is a perfect and credible solution.

The sad thing is, those folks that are close to talentless will now have nothing to moan about. You’ve got the kit, at an affordable price, so go make films.

More importantly go make good films. Enough with the “look how shallow my depth of field is”. You got the camera, learn to use it, then go spend the next couple weeks writing a good script. No camera can save a terrible screenplay.

Just wondering if you think the cheaper photodoix? nikon adapter sold on amazon works well enough? I worry about collimnation and infinity focus and wonder if the more expensive one sold on b&h would be a better choice. Thanks

finally something it is moving to help us “poor image maker”
i’m coming from dark rooms plenty of id11 and componar, durst and lots of nights closing with black tape all the bathroom windows
got old nikkormat and nice ai lenses.

videomaking has been always on my mind but could not afford extra money for that ( just for leaving :)). a couple years ago got my first cam: the little beast CANON HV10 (btw, why never mention this cam, i think it is better then some new models, except in low light)

i’m planning for having a single “head” for both, stills and movies, and canon made the right way for this. you know ,phil, when trekking a lot , weight is a pain ,better having some waters & food instead i know, i could train my nice black labrador as nepal-sherpa, but i’d need really waterproofing stuff as she always jump into the real piece of water she meets.

i think i’ll go for the 7d as t2i looks a bit plastic boxed but i’m damn curious about new movie testing concerning 550d..when???

what about using my nikon glasses(not ef, simple AI) on canon?
with d300s, they said, some metering is available, what features on 7d?
i love my 105 nikkor and 28 and all i have

Hey Bro,
You know I like a small light weight camera. For many, this will fit the bill giving them way better picture then imaginable (no need for 2 cameras when traveling) plus an optical viewfinder which is a big plus for photographer/video dudes like me. Not as small as my GF1 that you bought me, but I have two solutions depending on the size I need for the gig. It is an exciting time in the industry, what’s next?

Sad you didn’t give me any feedback on my 550D Vid Philip. Big fan of yours. I learned most of what I know about DSLR’s from you. Your pretty busy so I forgive you. Check it out soon and tell me what you think!!

Thanks for letting me know Philip. Happy again now. Whenever you can. I will keep reminding and will wait for feedback in earnest. I was worried I was becoming a pest so was ready to give up. Its only a minute!! http://vimeo.com/9745447 Canon France and 4 Vimeo staffers like it now!! Its a product of the Philip Bloom school of learning, a little to contrasty but ok.

Hey Philip need your help please!!!!!! your real busy I know that, just reply this one time, you inspired me to start filming. I’m buying my first Prime lens tomorrow Zeiss ZF 50mm f1.4 the one you used for “Sofia’s People” only got 3 questions.

1) is it worth it to buy ZF.2 lens instead? “I believe its an additional $250.00″ 2) what Camera mount should I buy that will best work with the Canon EOS T2i?
3) Would I still have full functionality with the ZF.1 as far as aperture ect…

I want to ask you, since you are a professional. Do you ever feel that with how quickly these cameras are advancing that consumers are kind of infringing on what makes you unique. Equipment, etc used to make you special, no?

I know they say that it is the eye, and the talent, but one thing that used to keep back the amount of talent was the expense of equipment. So now that everyone can afford the equipment, much more talent will be coming up. Do you know what I mean?

Just to clarify Phil,
You said it doesn’t have a manual white balance adjustment. Do you mean something that will let you set a color temp manually like 3200, 3300 etc ? Or do you mean it has no auto white balance button at all. I’m assuming the former. That would mean missing a feature but wouldn’t hobble you altogether. Until recently most cameras only had a white balance adjustment and 2 presets. Does the 550 have daylight and tungstun presets.

hi philip, over the past 2 years iv been filming martial arts in china. currently im using a sony hvr a1e for the video and a sony alpha 350 to take some pictures. im finding it hard to carry around alot of equipment up and down mountain and in and out of airports all the time. i wanted to down size my equipment. so i was wondering how does the 550d cope with action shots/fast movement?

Philip, thanks for having this great website. Im trying to sell my Panasonic HVX200P camera, so i can purchase a Canon 7D or 5D Mark 2. I have done a lot of research and video comparisons, but I still come to the same problem.

The 550D have the same quality of audio and provides the same interaction with my tascam dr100 as the 7D ? I’m not planning to use built in mic, but i know that the 7D have a cable that let me to connect Tascam dr100 and control some things on the 7D, making all sync. Does the T2i works the same way?

I’m starting to make videos now, so i’m not a pro and i don’t have any stabilizer. Do you think that the kit lens don’t worth the extra $100 not even for stabilization? Because i have other good lenses but none have IS (actually they’re nikon lenses, do you recomend me any good adaptor for me?) !

No doubt the kit lens is not a Canon’s “L” series lens but it’s quite good for beginners or semi-professionals. Check the link given below. There is a comparison 17-40 f/4 L and 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 IS. There isn’t an obvious difference.

The kit len’s point is 8.6 at fredmiranda.com. I think it will work enough. Indeed it’s not a expensive lens. If you wanna buy another lens kit lens will not be a big deal. You can use it as an alternative. You can check 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM will be a pretty good choise.

i’m thinking of buying a dslr (first one for me) either the 550D or 50D. which one would u say i’d rather get? and which lens to go with it, i was thinking of the (18-200mm) and i’m kinda on a budget so i don’t think i can afford those L lens

I just bought the T2i yesterday!! I love the video recording capabilities especially with a 50mm lens and 24p combination. My primary use will be timelapses so I also bought the suggested Opteka Timer Remote Control. I hope that it will work fine as you said. Fingers crossed!!

So if you were only concerned in video, and had around 1,000-1,300 dollars to spend. Would you get this with a kit lense or a new camcorder say the panasonic tm700? I will be shooting lots of sports and landscapes? What would you get?

Neilford,
I use a simple Manfrotto monopod with a cheap Manfrotto tilt head and wear a fanny pack . Works great for HVX / EX etc and looks like it will be fine for DSLR – cheap , small and flexible.
Some people like the monopod that has little legs that can open up and sy tehy can support a DSLR with it, but I’ve never tried it. Sounds interesting

Called B&H and SAdorama this afternoon – nothing there and no idea when they would come in. Then just happened to check a few hours later – Bingo T2i body only at B&H – I never filled out an online form that fast before. I think I’m going to try the Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC for glass. Wish me luck. If I don’t like it I’ll sella nd go for the Canon.

Also thinking about the fotodiox $150 adapter that also has focus confirmation electronics for my Nikon lenses.

Also anyone know about the Saechi remote control for timelapse. Similar to the Opteka but some people on Amazon like it more.

Called B&H and SAdorama this afternoon – nothing there and no idea when they would come in. Then just happened to check a few hours later – Bingo T2i body only at B&H – I never filled out an online form that fast before. I think I’m going to try the Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC for glass. Wish me luck. If I don’t like it I’ll sella nd go for the Canon.

Also thinking about the fotodiox $150 adapter that also has focus confirmation electronics for my Nikon lenses

Great article, you mentioned the Opteka Timer Remote Control on Amazon, it has not been available for sale for the last two weeks. Any other recommendations for an intervalometer that will work with the T2i?

I bought this camera (called 550D here) and used it exclusively on paid jobs, 3 short documentaries in China, Thailand and Indonesia. It suffered some extreme climate situations such as fog/humidity in the mountains of China and the rain forests in Indonesia. I even shot in full sunlight in Thailand, and it didn’t overheat, not even once. I’ve shot with a 7D before, which overheated in an air-conditioned room. So I guess if you plan to shoot in the rain a lot, bring a plastic bag or have someone hold an umbrella like I did. Otherwise, this is a great camera, and weather sealed or not, it stands up as a great tool and a relatively small investment that has paid itself off. The client was very happy, he had a strong art photography background and didn’t care that the camera ‘looks so small and plasticky’, what matters to him is that he was very pleased with the images it gave us. What I miss are the better HDMI output, ISO settings, white balance and aperture ring like Philip Bloom mentions in his article. Hope this helps some people decide between this and the 7D

interesting,
i sold my Nikon d80, and bough this 550D, i never liked canon’s crapy designs (please dont take it personally it is just my opinion)
and this camera still inherits that aspect of canon.. but look at the bright side, i got a much larger sensor, a DSLR that can shoot video and i am impressed with what this camera can do,

we shot a production with 7D and 550D i personally could not tell the difference although i heard some people claiming that 7D is slighter better in terms of video and still quality.

for those who are living in London here is a tip:

i got my 550D from Heathrow Airport’s duty free for 650 GBP plus i for like 50 pounds refund which unfortunately i could not use because i am not living in UK and it cost about 900 GPS in Oman .. thats where i live

however you will be saving 200 pounds in that case.. and yes there are other cameras there as well and they are much cheaper than the local markt

I just bought mine today (did some previous test shooting with it and 7D)! I think it’s fantastic.

I’m not too concerned about the build…I do some pro work and disagree with some of these postings about how you can’t do pro stuff with this camera based on its build. A bit of cleverness can make it manageable The “consumer” label is only limiting because you let it be. Many times, people who buy “pro” gear can’t perform at a real pro level….just sayin’.

Anyways, any camera is just a tool, it’s the shooter that makes it work. Plus at the $800 price point, I won’t feel too bad about the next generation coming out The real investment necessary here is good glass and reliable rigging!

This is really a huge help for me, for I’ve been struggling with which one of these two to buy. I’ve settled on the 7D, but now, I need to really decide on one all around good lens for both photo and video. Do you have any recommendations as for the best possible single lens to get? Thanks so much!

Good general insight. But, not quite. I’ve done some tests myself too but it seems to me a bit unfair to compare it with the so called Pro bodies, whereas this camera is not meant to be compared with. For inumerous reasons. Wanna compare? Ok, go for the 7D (R.I.P. 50D). Don’t really care about a weather proof body, it’s all about protecting you investment. Big body? It’s a personal choice. Actually, l always wondered about why so many get in love for bigger/heavier bodies just to end up dead tired at the end of the day. I do have small hands and do just fine with a battery grip, and being smnall and light has a lot of advantages too (about 500 grams), and guess what, I found it to be very handy even sticked to my 24-70L, my 70-200 f4. Really, it’s a GREAT walk around model and it does wonders with its 18Mp. Oh, have I mentioned that cameras are just collectibles after one year or two?
Best! ;-))

A friend of mine gave me a nice little tip to add some weather protection. Not weatherproofing of course, but it’s great for emergencies, it’s free and uses up no space in the bag.

Even after shaving your head you still have a reason to collect those showercaps in hotels They fit perfectly around the body while maintaining full control and view to the screen. Also good for safety while outdoor timelapsing.

I love my T2i. I love it even more with the BG-E8 battery grip. The grip gives the Rebel the added weight it needs and more meat to hang on to. Plus the grip holds two batteries as well. Highly recommended for larger hands too. It’s a must have for me whenever I buy a Rebel.

hi everyone, i have never used the EOS pro versions before but thinking of getting the 7D, my concern is the over heating side of it that i have been hearing, my use for this camera is for weddings, has anyone got any experince with this side effect…
thanks

Hey Philip, I’ve been enjoying your take on these Canon DSLR’s for some time now. Your Vimeo footage has definitely been a source of inspiration for me and I can’t wait to get started shooting. I’ll soon be beginning production on a docudrama/reality pilot and I think the T2i may just do the trick, the price tag certainly does. Thanks for the valuable post and additional info in the comments!

i’ve been doing some tests with my T2i and the one thing that bothered me is the noise in low light in video mode. Its not just ‘electronic grain’ I mean lousy codec noise… Strangely, on my googling I have seen no mention to this problem. Have you noticed it? Am I missing some kind of configuration?

I’ve also had a hard time with clip logging. Can’t find a useful clip number anywhere.

i wasted 6 months on purchasing and shooting with a 35mm adapter and hdr-hc1e. i was so utterly sick of crap footage coming from these adapters.
i made the switch to the 550d. best purchase of my life. i always turned a blind eye to these dslr’s for video, but im glad i came around to see the potential that follows these little wonders…and bloom, you are a superb my friend

I’m trying to figure out just how long the eos 550d can shoot for at 30 frames per second, in 720p. And what the battery life is on this camera for continuous video shooting at that rate? Anybody know this info? thankx

Thanks for the review!
I am new here and new to the video scene looking to do some timelapse… just a quick question, when using the timelapse remote, does the camera stay on all the time or does it power up everytime a shot is taken?

Hello, This is my first visit on site. I’m going to start my filmmaking career but have a tight budget. I’ll submit my film at film festivals at first & this is a short film. I want to know about best low budget camera. Is this T21 or ?…Please May you Guide me. If is there any training material of your or at online then Please also tell me. Thanks & regards.

Phil,
I work in audiovisual production, have a tv program on extreme sports and film events for extra money.
I´m between 7d and t2i with a budget of 2000 dollars but wanting better lens on a future so saving money is also good.
What advice do you give me.
Great Work!